Random Thoughts with Will

     If one were to go and watch Disney movies from the late 1980s through the 1990s, one might notice a commonality in the protagonists: they either feel like they don't belong where they are or are seeking acceptance. Ariel wanted to be part of another world, Quasimodo wanted to experience one day out in town and be like everyone else, Belle wanted more than the provincial town she lived in, Mulan felt like she'd never live up to what her parents or society expected her to be, Hercules felt like a freak at a young age, and so on. With the possible exception of The Lion King , you can make a case that just about every Disney movie during its renaissance period features a protagonist that feels like they don't belong or is seeking acceptance. Who says the Disney formula is only about having princesses? This is also probably a good time to say there's a great sketch from the 1990s show Anamaniacs that pokes fun at this Disney formula of a character wanting more...  ...

     A while back, I came across a tweet from one of my high school science teachers about a conversation he had with a student. The student asked him when the learning stops. His response? When one dies. Presumably, the student asked that question in the context of the school year. However, the teacher answered that in the context of life.      When I was in school, I could identify with that student. Heck, I still can -- finishing up college this time of year was always nice. The school year went until mid-June, but all of the standardized testing (in the form of SOLs and AP Exams) was conducted in May. Once those were over, I was ready to call it a year and start summer. After all, since testing was done, didn't that mean learning was also done? Well, not exactly.     Learning, unlike testing, isn't confined to a few weeks in May. And in reality, learning isn't confined to a school or a school year, either. While schools are a place where s...

     Thanks to the 1994 film Forrest Gump , if a person starts running really fast by themselves, there's a decent chance someone will shout "Run, Forrest, Run!" (or a variation of that) in reference to the movie. However, if you were to go up to Northeast Ohio and replace Forrest with William, that references something completely different.      On the last day of the 2002 NFL regular season, the Cleveland Browns were fighting for a playoff spot. They were facing a must-win situation against the Michael Vick-led Atlanta Falcons at home. In the fourth quarter of that game, Cleveland narrowly led 17-16 with about 4 minutes to go. It was then that Jim Donovan, the Browns' radio play-by-play announcer, famously shouted "Run, William, Run!" as rookie running back William Green broke off a 64-yard touchdown run to extend the lead. Cleveland went on to win the game and make the playoffs for the first time since rejoining the league in 1999. All these years late...